Does Your Truth Match Reality?Evolution? Creation? ... Perceived conflict between Science and the...
Transcript of Does Your Truth Match Reality?Evolution? Creation? ... Perceived conflict between Science and the...
Does Your Truth
Match Reality?
Dr. Heinz Lycklama
www.heinzlycklama.com/apologetics
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 2
Overview What is the issue?
Introduction to Apologetics
Arguments for God’s existence
Why Christian Apologetics?
What is truth?
Contrasting views of truth
How do we know truth?
How do we know the Bible is true?
Does the Truth in the Bible match reality?
What is the evidence for Truth in the Bible?
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The Truth Issue
Your “truth” is what you believe to be true
How do you know it is true?
Based on presupposition?
Verified by credible evidence?
Is the Christian Truth true?
Looking at the evidence
Does the evidence support Christian Truth?
What about Atheism? Evolution? Creation?
What about Mormonism? Hinduism? Buddhism?
Questions About Truth
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Do we know because of the evidence:
From science, history or archaeology?
OR
Do we believe because of:
Revelation, e.g. Holy Scripture?
Human reason, i.e. Logic?
Authority, e.g. Church tradition?
Human experience?
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Stumbling Blocks in
Coming to Faith in Christ 1. Lack of intellectual knowledge of God
2. Other Christians – their perceived hypocrisy
3. Sin: accepting Christ would require turning away from sin
4. If God is all-loving and all-powerful, why is there so much pain, suffering, and evil?
5. Perceived conflict between Science and the Bible, e.g. Creation v. Evolution
6. No answers from the Church to the hard questions
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The Statistics!
According to pollster George Barna:
Only 9% of “born again” teenagers believe that absolute truth even exists
At least 60% of the children from evangelical homes are estimated to leave the church once they leave home
Reasons:
No answers from the church for the hard questions asked by our youth
Indoctrination of our youth in secularism and evolutionism
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Some Definitions
Agnostic – one who does not know if God exists
Apologetics – rational justification/defense of
one’s beliefs
Deism – God created the world but is not
involved in the world
Epistemology – the study of how we know
Fideism – no rational way to justify one’s beliefs
Humanism – man is the highest value in the
universe
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More Definitions
Logic – the methods of valid thinking
Deductive logic – start with general principles accepted as true and apply them to specific cases -> the conclusion must be true
Inductive logic – study phenomena to determine a general principle -> leads to most likely or reasonable conclusion (core of the scientific method)
Metaphysics – the study of being or reality
Modernism – human reasoning replaced reliance on God
Ontology – the study of being
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Yet More Definitions
Postmodernism – all meaning and truth is relative
Presupposition – an assumption that is taken for
granted
Rationalism – determining all truth by logic
Relativism – there are no absolutes
Skeptic – one who doubts, questions, disagrees
Theism – God created the world and is involved
in the world
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Introduction to Apologetics
Apologia (Greek) – speaking in defense
Apologetics is a defense of beliefs by
arguments, evidences, and reasons for
why we believe what we believe
Why Apologetics?
Explain basic Christian beliefs
Defend beliefs from those who attack them
Defend beliefs from heretical beliefs
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 11
Explaining Christian Beliefs
Instruction of the basic Christian
doctrines, beliefs and history
Answering questions about these
doctrines and beliefs
Teaching the fundamentals of defending
the rationality and trustworthiness of the
essential truths of the Faith
Faith built on fact, not feelings
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Apologetics in the NT
The word “apologia” is used in the NT eight times:
Acts 19:33, Alexander’s defense to the people
Acts 22:1, Paul’s defense before the people
Acts 25:16, Paul answers the charges against him
Acts 26:2, Paul’s defense before King Agrippa
I Cor. 9:3, Paul’s defense to those who examine him
Phil. 1:7, in defense and confirmation of the gospel
II Tim. 4:16, Paul’s defense in a court of law
I Pet. 3:15, give a defense … a reason for the hope
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Apologetic Approaches Defensive
Phil. 1:7, “ … inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, … “
1 Pet. 3:15, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear”
Offensive
2 Cor. 10:5, “Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready … “
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Some Early Christian Apologists
The Apostle Paul:
Acts 26:2, “I make my defense …”
Phil. 1:7, “defending the gospel”
The Apostle Peter:
1 Pet. 3:15, “ready to give an answer”
Tertullian, early church leader, 155-230 AD
Apologeticus – Christianity as the true religion
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Christian Apologetic Styles Thomistic/Classical tradition
Based on philosophical arguments for God’s existence
Then specific case for Christian revelation claims
Evidentialist tradition
Empirical arguments about the life, miracles, death, resurrection of Christ, fulfilled prophecies – used as probabilistic proofs
Presuppositional tradition
Belief in God and His Word is presupposed
Depends on the inspiration of the Holy Spirit
Non-theistic assumptions proven to be false
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Thomistic/Classical Tradition Based on work of Thomas Aquinas
Wrote Summa Theologiae
Five ways of proving the existence of God, e.g.
Cosmological argument – a first cause
One self-sufficient, efficient cause – God
There must be a necessarily existent being
God is the source of goodness
Teleological argument – Intelligent Design
Science of natural and divine things are based on the foundation of Thomas’ theses
Important in the Catholic tradition
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Classical Example
The Bible claims to be the word of God
The Bible has been accurately transmitted
The OT was written before the NT
The OT contains prophecies of Jesus fulfilled in the NT
Jesus fulfilled the prophecies
Therefore the Bible is inspired
Therefore the Bible is accurate
The Bible says God exists
Therefore God exists
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Evidentialist Tradition
Justification of belief according to evidence
Belief B toward proposition P is justified for S at time t if and only if B fits the evidence S has at t
Separates justified beliefs from unjustified beliefs
Belief coherent with other justified beliefs
The Bible is most probably accurate
Thus the whole of Biblical revelation is probably true
Where we don’t have absolute certainty, we must accept the most probable theory
Builds from a common starting point in neutral facts
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Evidential Approach Stresses miracles found in the Bible
Jesus performed many miracles
Prophecies fulfilled
Jesus’ Resurrection
Other evidence
Reliability of Scripture (OT and NT)
Historical events and records
Archaeology
Scientific reliability of the Bible
Creation supported by science
Data (evidence) supports the biblical accounts
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Presuppositional Tradition Objectives:
Present a rational basis for the Christian faith
Defend the faith against objections
Expose the perceived flaws of other worldviews
Based on the supernatural revelation in the Bible
Declares belief in the necessary existence of God
Compares presupposition against reason, empirical experience, and subjective feeling
Based on work of Dutch theologian, Cornelius Van Til, in the late 1920’s
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More on Presuppositional
Presupposes God’s existence and argues from that
perspective to show the validity of Christianity
Presupposes the truth of the Bible
Relies on the validity and power of the gospel to
change lives, Rom. 1:16
Regards the unbeliever as sinful in his mind and
unable to understand spiritual things
Presuppositions determine how one interprets facts
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Natural Theology
The discipline of establishing the rational
feasibility of theism (existence of God)
Seeks to establish a “God” behind religion
Empirical endeavor – seeks to demonstrate
God’s existence based on sensory
observation of nature, not on revelation
Several arguments for God’s existence are
advanced in natural theology
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Arguments For God’s Existence
Cosmological argument
Beginning of the universe
Teleological (Design) argument(s)
Design and order in the universe, e.g Anthropic Principle
Design of life
Moral argument
Moral law implies a moral law giver
Ontological argument
The concept of God – greatest conceivable and necessary Being
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Cosmological Argument
Premise – everything that had a beginning had a cause
Based on Law of Causality
Everything has a cause
The universe had a beginning
Einstein’s General Relativity
Second Law of Thermodynamics (Entropy)
Therefore the universe had a cause
“Supernatural forces are at work …”
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Characteristics of First Cause
Self-existent, timeless, non-material
Creator of time, space and matter
Outside of time, space and matter
Omnipresent – without limits
Omnipotent – creator of the universe
Omniscient – intelligent designer
Personal – choose to convert “nothingness” into time-space-material universe
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Teleological Argument
Every design had a designer
A watch requires a watchmaker (Paley)
The universe has highly complex design
Verified by the Anthropic Principle
Universe fine-tuned (designed) to make life possible on earth
Therefore the universe had a Designer
Earth was designed for us
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Anthropic Principle
122 very narrowly defined constants identified
Oxygen level in earth’s atmosphere ~21%
Gravity force is a precise constant
Expansion rate of universe
Jupiter orbit protects Earth
Thickness of Earth’s crust controls release of oxygen
Rotation rate of Earth controls temperature differences
Tilt of earth at 23 degrees is just right
Probability of 1 chance in 10**138 (ZERO/NIL)
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Teleological Argument – Life
Living organisms
Are complex
Appear designed
Contain information
Life from non-life is impossible
Spontaneously generated life never observed
Probability is effectively ZERO
Therefore life requires a Designer
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Complexity of Life
Life requires DNA (information)
DNA contains instructions for building and replicating living things
Irreducible complexity
All parts required to function
Specified complexity
Order of amino acids is specified in proteins
Information in a “simple” amoeba requires 1000 complete sets of an encyclopedia
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Moral Argument
Every law has a law giver
Legislation requires a legislature
Prescription requires a prescriber
There is a Moral Law
Fundamental sense of right and wrong
Conscience (manifestation of Moral Law)
Absolute (and universal) moral obligations
Therefore, there is a Moral Law Giver
Source higher than ourselves
Source of our human rights
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Existence of The Moral Law
The Moral Law is undeniable
We know it by our reactions
It is the basis of human rights
It is the unchanging standard of justice
Defines a real difference between moral positions
We know what is absolutely wrong – there must be an absolute standard of righteousness
It is the grounds for political & social dissent
If there were no Moral Law, then we wouldn’t make excuses for violating it
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Ontological Argument Ontology – concerned with the nature and
relations of being
Argues from the concept of God to His existence
Does not begin with the facts of experience
Prior to and apart from experience
Defines God as the greatest conceivable Being
A Being who has every possible perfection
God, by definition, is a necessary Being
Cannot not exist
Not generally accepted argument
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Why Christian Apologetics?
1. Know what you believe
2. Know why you believe
3. Defend what you believe
1 Pet. 3:15, “But sanctify the Lord God in
your hearts, and always be ready to give a
defense to everyone who asks you a reason
for the hope that is in you, with meekness
and fear;”
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 34
The Means of Apologetics
Matt. 22:37, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”
We are to reason, to use logic
Jude 3, “… I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.”
A call to battle for the truth
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The Means of Apologetics -2
Acts 17:2-4, “Then Paul, as his custom was, … reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, ‘This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.’”
“And some of them were persuaded; …”
Acts 17:11, “… they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.”
Be a Berean, search the Scriptures daily
Look for evidence of the Truth
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The Means of Apologetics - 3 Acts 17:17, “Therefore he [Paul] reasoned in
the synagogue with the Jews and with the Gentile worshippers, and in the marketplace daily with those who happened to be there.”
Paul answered the questions of believers & skeptics alike
Acts 17:23, “… Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: …”
The Athenians believed in an “unknown God”
Paul introduced them to the Creator God who could be known
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Discerning The Truth
Deut. 18:21-22, “… How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken? – when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; …”
A true prophet’s prophecies come to pass
1 Th. 5:21-22, “Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.”
Examine what is preached carefully
Discern the good from the evil
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Knowing The Truth
2 Tim. 2:15, “Be diligent to present yourself
approved to God, a worker who does not need to
be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
Impart God’s Word accurately and clearly
Rom. 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this
world, but be transformed by the renewing of your
mind, that you may prove what is that good and
acceptable and perfect will of God.”
We can use mind to reason
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The Path to Keeping the Faith
Steps to leaving:
Doubt upon asking the hard questions
Discouragement upon finding no answers
Disillusionment and feeling betrayed
Apathy believing that answers do not exist
Departure and antagonistic to the faith
Solving the problem:
Solid teaching programs
An emphasis on Christian Apologetics
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 40
Sources of Belief True Belief False Belief
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 41
What is Truth?
Epistemology
Nature and scope of knowledge
How we know what we know
Relation between belief, truth, knowledge
Ps. 100:3, “Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves. … ”
If God made us, He would not deceive us about the nature of our existence
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Four Essential Principles of Knowledge
Basic epistemological premises
1. The law of noncontradiction
2. The law of causality
3. The basic (although not perfect) reliability of sense perception
4. The analogical use of language
All presupposed in Scripture
Found in God Himself
Endowed to His creatures (made in His image)
Foundational laws/grounds of obtaining knowledge
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 43
Law of Noncontradiction
A cannot be A and Non-A at the same time and in
the same sense or relationship
Truth cannot be contradictory
1 John 2:22, “Who is a liar but he who denies that
Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the
Father and the Son.”
Scriptures assume difference between truth and lie,
righteousness and unrighteousness, etc.
Nothing would be understandable without this law
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 44
Law of Causality
Every effect must have a cause
Every miracle assumes this law
John 3:2, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”
Nicodemus affirmed the divine cause behind the works of Jesus
Without this law, no miracle in Scripture can occur or be of evidential value – from Creation to Resurrection
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 45
Reliability of Sense Perception Our senses are essentially trustworthy
See, hear, touch, taste, smell
There are limits to our perception
Knowledge of external world impossible if our senses not basically dependable
John and Peter saw the glory of Jesus, John 1:14; 2 Pet. 1:16
Christ appeared to Peter, then to the twelve, and to the 500, 1 Cor. 15:5-6
These arguments would be useless without reliable human senses
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 46
Analogical Use of Language Two things can be partly alike and partly
different
One thing is analogous to another
God is so entirely different from us
God is a Spirit and transcendent
Thus there does not appear to any way to say anything meaningful about God
God is described in Scripture using analogical language in comparison with human attributes
Gen. 1:26, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 47
Truth Issues
Absolute or relative?
Correspondent or coherent?
Determining truth
Using our five senses
Using logic
Revealed in Scripture
Is truth knowable?
Agnosticism, skepticism, etc.
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 48
How Do We Decide Truth?
Is truth decided by our five senses? [hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting , touching]
e.g. our feelings? [touching the elephant]
Is our truth based on facts?
Does it match reality?
Thomas asked the Lord about truth
John 14:6, “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
Very exclusive statement
But, truth IS exclusive!
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 49
Pontius Pilate’s Question
Pilate asked Jesus “What is Truth?”
John 18:37-38, “Pilate therefore said to Him, ‘Are you a king then?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.’ Pilate said to Him, ‘What is truth?’ And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews,
and said to them, ‘I find no fault in Him at all.’”
Pilate did not think his question had an answer
John 17:17, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.”
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 50
Jesus’ Answer
Jesus was clear that “everyone who is of
the truth hears My voice.”
The Apostle John made it clear that Jesus
was the Truth and there is no sin in Him
Do you know how to answer Pilate’s
question – “What is Truth?”
How do we determine what is true?
Feelings don’t tell us what is true, facts do!
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 51
Use of Logic in Apologetics
The universe exists
Universe cannot be infinitely old
Would have entered into state of disorder long ago
Universe is not in a state of disorder
Therefore not infinitely old
Universe had a beginning
Universe could not have brought itself into existence
Something before the universe brought it into existence
That something is God
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 52
Three Views of Truth
What does it mean for a statement to be true?
Three different views on what truth is:
1. Correspondence/Traditional view
2. Relativism/Postmodern view
3. Practical/Useful view
The Test
Does your “Truth” match reality? i.e. Does “what
you believe to be true” match reality?
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 53
Correspondence/Traditional View
Any statement is true if and only if it corresponds to or agrees with factual reality
Declarative statements are subject to verification and falsification
A statement can be proven false if it can be shown to disagree with objective reality
Truth is not a matter of subjective opinion, or majority vote, or cultural fashion
Truth is objective and knowable, e.g. photo from outer space showing the earth as a blue sphere
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 54
Laws of Truth Logic
For any proposition P, at a given time, in a given
respect, there are three related laws of logic:
Law of non-contradiction – not (P and not-P)
For any proposition P, it is not the case that
both P is true and ‘not-P’ is true
Law of the excluded middle – (P true or not-P true)
For any proposition P, P is true or ‘not-P’ is true
Affirms that “either P or not-P”
Law of bivalence – (P true or false)
For any proposition P, P is either true or false, i.e. any
unambiguous, declarative statement must be either true or false
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 55
More on the Laws of Truth Law of non-contradiction (both P and ‘not-P’ are
not true)
Can’t both be true in the same way, at the same time
Both contradictory statements cannot be true
Can’t be true that there both is and is not X in my room
Law of the excluded middle (P is true or ‘not-P’ is true)
There is either X in my room or there is not
Law of bivalence (P is either true or false)
It can’t be neither true nor false
It can’t be both true and false
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 56
Law of Non-Contradiction
We live by the law of non-contradiction
If I say XXX and my wife says not-XXX
One of us is wrong
We both can’t be telling the truth
Christians historically (traditionally) have
affirmed the correspondence view of truth
Supports the concept of absolute truth
Logically self-consistent and supportable
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 57
An Example From the Bible
There are good historical reasons to believe that Jesus rose from the dead in space-time history, showing His divine authority:
Rom. 1:4, “and declared to be the Son of God … by the resurrection from the dead.”
1 Cor. 15:1-11, “… the gospel which I preached to you …”
Factual evidence of Christ’s Resurrection (provided by Paul)
1 Cor. 15:14, “And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.”
Illustrates the concept of “absolute truth”
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 58
Relativism/Postmodern View Statements about scientific facts, religious realities,
or moral principles cannot be known to refer to objective states of affairs
Language is contingently constructed through communities
Language cannot transcend its own context and refer to realities outside itself
All language fails to describe objective conditions because of its embeddedness in various cultures
The truth of a statement depends on the views of persons or cultures, not on whether statements correspond to objective reality
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 59
An Example of Relativism
For a statement to be true just means that
a person or culture believes it to be true
“Well, if that’s true for you …”
“We can’t judge other cultures …”
Accordingly, one can say “Jesus is Lord”
and another “Allah is Lord”, and both
statements will be true – NOT
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 60
Putting the Statements to the Test
This is illogical and fails the law of non-contradiction
The statements are mutually exclusive
John 1:14, Christians believe that Jesus is “God made flesh”
Muslims deny that Allah can or did incarnate
The two statements cannot both be objectively true
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 61
Summary of Relativism View
Relativism offers no means of verifying or falsifying any belief
Relativism does not support the concept of “absolute truth”
This view is self-refuting and logically unsupportable
This view often referred to as postmodernism
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 62
Conclusion on Relativism View
Relativism is false
It does not correspond to reality
When truth is deemed to depend on a person or culture holding the belief, anything can become “true”
Which is absurd
This attitude/view cannot be applied to medicine or science
Would be deemed ridiculous
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 63
Practical/Useful View
This view holds that a belief is true only if it
works for a particular person
Christianity may be “true for me” if it helps
me, but false for another person if it does not
help him
This view confuses usefulness with truth
e.g. “mismanaging money” <-> “misplacing
money” (belief) <-> “stolen money” (reality)
results in diligent management of his money
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 64
Truth v. Use Value
The “truth value” of a belief is
different that its “use value”
Does not support the concept of
“absolute truth”
This view is self-refuting and
logically unsupportable
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 65
Is Truth Knowable?
Agnosticism – self-defeating, how do they
know we can’t know?
Skepticism – self-defeating, do they even
doubt skepticism?
Rationalism – inconsistent – can’t rationally
prove that something is rationally inescapable
Fideism – self-defeating, either unjustified
belief or not fideism (belief in vs. belief that)
Realism – we can know something
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 66
What is Truth? Truth is that which corresponds to reality
Thought applies to reality
Knowledge is possible
Logic is a necessary presupposition of all thought
It is undeniable that logic applies to reality
Self-evident principles cannot be denied
Truth is absolute, correspondent, knowable, logical
The Bible claims to be the Word of God & true
Does the Bible correspond to reality?
Is the Bible true?
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 67
Our Mandate 1 Pet. 3:15, “But sanctify the Lord God in
your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;”
As believers we need to:
Be ready to give an answer to questions about our faith
Be able to explain what we believe and why we believe this
Answer those who ask for an explanation
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 68
Is The Bible True?
Some people say the Bible is full of
errors or contradictions
For most this is just an excuse for
not believing
Few who claim these errors have read
the Bible and analyzed any of these
alleged errors
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 69
Alleged Errors in the Bible
Law of non-contradiction
Fails truth test
Mistranslations
Not true to original language
So-called scientific errors
Authors used language of the day
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 70
No Contradictions
Bible was written
By 40 authors from many walks of life
Over a period of 1500 years
Bible has ONE author – God
God is perfect, holy, true
There are no contradictions in His Word,
no matter what it seems at first
Many supposed contradictions
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 71
Example of “No Contradiction”
Many supposed contradictions result by placing two passages in false opposition to each other, e.g.
Eccl. 7:29, “God made man upright.” – Talking about Adam and Eve, who God originally created upright
Ps. 51:5, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity.” – Here King David is speaking of his personal situation, as a fallen descendant of Adam
There is no contradiction here
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 72
Mistranslation
Translation of the books of the Bible is a
real challenge
We have many translations
KJV, NKJV, AS, NAS, NIV, etc.
Most translation problems have simple
explanations
You should always look at the original
Hebrew and Greek words used
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 73
Example of Mistranslation
Lev. 11:13,19, “And these you shall regard as an
abomination among the birds; they shall not be
eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, the
vulture, the buzzard, … and the bat.” (NKJV)
Bats are not birds (a questionable word)
The KJV uses the word “fowls” instead of the
word “birds”
The KJV used the word “fowls” in Lev. 11:20 to
describe “insects”
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 74
Explanation of Mistranslation
The Hebrew word used is “owph,”
which can mean anything that “has a
wing,” i.e. a winged creature
The Hebrew word “owph” includes
birds, flying insects, and bats
Going back to the Hebrew word
explains the supposed translation
problem
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 75
Alleged Scientific Errors
Authors used the language of their day
The sun rising in the morning
The sun setting in the evening
The sun does not “rise” and “set”
The earth actually rotates
Our talk of the sun rising and setting is not
“scientifically correct”
Spoken from perspective of the observer
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 76
Insects With Four Legs?
Lev. 11:20-22, Moses writes “All flying insects that creep on all fours shall be an abomination to you. Yet these you may eat of every flying insect that creeps on all fours: those which have jointed legs above their feet with which to leap on the earth. These you may eat: the locust after its kind, the destroying locust after its kind, the cricket after its kind, and the grasshopper after its kind.”
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 77
Insects Have Six Legs
We know insects have “six legs”
We use the phrase “on all fours” to refer to the
action of a creature walking around, not as a
count of the creature’s feet
The insects mentioned here have four legs with
which to “creep,” and another two legs with
which to “leap” – six legs in total
The author (Moses, educated in Pharaoh’s
court) had good reason for his choice of words
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 78
Other Errors in The Bible?
Other apparent errors in the Bible can also
be resolved
There is a logical/rational explanation for
alleged errors in the Bible
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 79
Does The Truth in The Bible
Match Reality? Does the Bible’s Truth Match Reality?
We apply certain tests to biblical Truth
History, geography, archaeology, prophecy
What about biblical scientific statements?
Does what you believe (your truth) match reality?
What happens when we apply the same tests to your truth?
Does the evidence match up?
Tests must be objective
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 80
Topics/Questions Covered
Jesus’ Credibility – Is He God?
Prophecies Come True – Messianic + Others
Christ Rose From the Grave – What is the Evidence?
Is the Bible God’s Word?
Does Archaeology Verify the Bible?
Creation Apologetics
Is the Bible Reliable Scientifically?
If God is All-Loving and All-Knowing, Why Do We have Evil and Suffering?
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 81
Jesus’ Credibility – Is He God? Evidence of Jesus’ life on earth
Biblical, Roman, Jewish
Jesus in His humanity
Jesus claimed to be God
Jesus’ attributes
Jesus’ actions (miracles)
The Apostles taught the deity of Christ
Four possibilities – which one was He?
Liar, lunatic, legend, or the Truth
What are Jesus’ credentials?
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 82
Prophecies Come True What is prophecy?
Test of a true prophet
The importance of prophecy
Messianic prophecies
The significance of messianic prophecies
Messianic prophecy issues
Probability of fulfillment of prophecies
Other Old Testament (OT) prophecies
End Time prophecies
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 83
Christ Rose From The Grave –
What is the Evidence? Jesus’ Resurrection
Prophesied in the OT
Prophesied by Christ Himself in the NT
Pertinent data to be considered
Historical facts to be considered
Accounting for the empty tomb
More than a dozen appearances of the risen Lord
Includes more than 500 witnesses at once
Paul teaches the importance of the Resurrection
Its significance to the Christian faith
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 84
Is The Bible God’s Word?
The Bible is unique
How we got the Bible
Is Scripture inspired?
Christ’s teaching on the OT
Christ’s view of the NT
Historical reliability of the OT
Historical reliability of the NT
Supernatural wisdom of the Bible
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 85
Does Archaeology Verify the Bible? What is archaeology?
Some ancient archaeological finds
The Dead Sea scrolls
Evidence for the accuracy of the Bible
Internal, copy comparison, archaeology
The Ebla tablets
The divisions of Genesis
Genesis and origins
The walls of Jericho
Other important archaeological finds
Archaeology confirms accuracy of the Bible
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 86
Creation Apologetics
What Does the Bible Say About Creation?
What Do Jesus And The Apostles Say About Creation?
What Does Science Say About Creation?
The Creation and Evolution Models of Origins
Which Model Best Fits The Scientific Evidence?
Challenges to Evolutionism
Does It Matter What We Believe About Creation?
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 87
Is The Bible Reliable Scientifically? Scientific statements in the Bible
Are they accurate?
Reliability of the Bible established by:
Prophecy, history, geography, archaeology
Laws of science consistent with the Bible
Scientific statements/anticipation in the Bible
Astronomy, geophysics, geology, hydrology
Meteorology, biology, physics
Alleged scientific errors in the Bible
Scientific disciplines established by Bible-believing scientists
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 88
Why Do We Have Evil & Suffering?
Death and suffering are everywhere
View of history (and God):
Atheists/evolutionists have a wrong view
The Bible gives the proper view
The role of man’s free will
What about “senseless suffering”?
Suffering of believers
God’s purposes
Is God doing anything about death & suffering?
Our source of hope
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 89
Christianity – A Rational Faith Common misconceptions
What is faith?
Can Christianity be tested objectively?
A rational body of truth
Creation makes it plain
Moral smoke screens
More arguments for God’s existence
Addressing Bible difficulties
Addressing postmodernism
Addressing skepticism
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 90
Confidence in Our Faith
The foundation of our faith
1 Cor. 15:13-14, “But if there is no resurrection
of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if
Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty
and your faith is also empty.”
Bring every thought captive
2 Cor. 10:5, “casting down arguments and
every high thing that exalts itself against the
knowledge of God, bringing every thought into
captivity to the obedience of Christ,”
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 91
Defending Our Faith
Don’t believe lies or be deceived
Col. 2:8, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through
philosophy and empty deceit, according to the
tradition of men, according to the basic principles
of the world, and not according to Christ.”
Know how to answer
Col. 4:5-6 –“Walk in wisdom toward those who
are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech
always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you
may know how you ought to answer each one.”
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 92
Defending Our Faith – 2
Be able to exhort and convince
Tit. 1:9, “holding fast the faithful word as
he has been taught, that he may be able, by
sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict
those who contradict.”
Be doers of the Word
James 1:22 –“But be doers of the word, and
not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 93
Our Faith is Rational
Christianity is a rational faith
Our faith can be defended
We can use our mind and logic
Ps. 100:3, “Know that the Lord, He is
God. It is He who has made us, …”
Jesus is our Redeemer AND our Creator
Believe it or not!
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 94
The Importance of Apologetics Defense of the Faith is essential for
All church leaders
All believers
Christian Apologetics is crucial for
Discerning the Truth
Reaching new believers
Creation Apologetics is important for
Establishing the Truth from the very 1st verse
Explaining why Jesus came to Earth and died for our sins
Providing answers to the hard questions
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 95
Reference Books 1. Norman Geisler & Ronald Brooks, When Skeptics Ask: A Handbook on
Christian Evidences, 2008.
2. Norman Geisler & Frank Turek, I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist, 2004.
3. Richard Swinburne, Is There a God?, 1997. [ISG]
4. John Ashton & Richard Westacott, The Big Argument: Does God Exist? 2006.
5. Paul E. Little, Know Why You Believe, 2000.
6. Howard Vos, Can I Really Believe? 1995.
7. Josh McDowell & Don Stewart, Answers to Tough Questions, 1993.
8. Josh McDowell, The New Evidence That Demands A Verdict, 1999.
9. Phil Fernandes, No Other Gods, 2002.
10. Phil Fernandes, The God Who Sits Enthroned, 2002.
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 96
More Reference Books
1. Phil Fernandes, Contend Earnestly for the Faith: A Survey
of Christian Apologetics, 2008.
2. Lee Strobel, The Case For Faith, 2000.
3. Lee Strobel, The Case For a Creator, 2004.
4. Don Batten, The Creation Answers Book, 2008.
5. Ray Comfort, Scientific Facts in the Bible, 2001.
6. Peter Stoner & Robert Newman, Science Speaks, 1976.
7. Creation Moments, 101 Scientific Facts & Foreknowledge.
8. Ralph Muncaster, Can Archaeology Prove The NT? 2000.
9. Siegfried Horn, Biblical Archaeology, 1985.
10. Timothy Keller, The Reason For God, 2008.
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 97
Yet More Reference Books
1. Charles Colson & Harold Fickett, The Faith Given Once,
For All, 2008.
2. Ken Ham & Britt Beemer, Already Gone, 2009.
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 98
Some Useful Websites 1. www.greatcom.org/resources/areadydefense - A Ready
Defense by Josh McDowell
2. www.carm.org - Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry
3. www.reasonablefaith.org - William Lane Craig Apologetics Resources
4. www.leestrobel.com - Investigating Faith by Lee Strobel
5. www.josh.org - Josh McDowell Ministry
6. www.heinzlycklama.com/apologetics - Lectures on Christian Apologetics by Heinz Lycklama
7. www. heinzlycklama.com/creation - Lectures on Creation by Heinz Lycklama
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 99
More Apologetics Websites
1. www.summit.org - Summit Ministries
2. www.probe.org - Probe Ministries
3. www.comereason.org - Come Reason Ministries
4. www.arcapologetics.org - Apologetics Resource Center
5. www.rzim.org - Ravi Zacharias International Ministries
6. www.bethinking.org - Thinking Apologetics
7. www.str.org - Stand To Reason Ministries
@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama 100
Special Credits
Dr. Phil Fernandes, The Institute of Biblical Defense.
Apologetics arguments in his books.
David A. Prentice, M. Ed., Origins Resource, 2007.
Some useful graphics and images.
Josh McDowell, The New Evidence That Demands A Verdict, 1999.
Many references to specific evidences.